Patient FAQs
Top Questions from actual Balboa Nephrology Patients
Can you email/text me my bill, labs, and or appt. reminders?
Patients are able to log into their MyChart Patient Portal account. The MyChart Patient Portal is a secure online website that gives patients convenient, 24-hour access to personal health information from anywhere with an Internet connection. Using a secure username and password, patients can schedule an appointment, view test results and medications, pay a bill and more.
If you do not have access to the MyChart Patient Portal, please call (858) 810-8000. Our team will be able to help you set up your account and activation.
Can the Doctor go over my test results?
When is my next appointment?
Patients who have signed up with MyChart will have access to their appointment information, view upcoming and past visits as well as their After Visit Summary.
Do I have co-pay?
Your copay amount is printed right on your health plan ID card. However, you are also able to review your insurance summary and coverage details in the MyChart Patient Portal. If you aren’t sure, please ask the Balboa Nephrology Medical Assistant before your appointment.
Will I be able to get a prescription over the phone without having to see my doctor?
What type of insurance is accepted?
Patients may check if their insurance is accepted by viewing the Insurance information below. Patients may also contact your physician’s office directly.
What happens during my visit?
If you have recently been referred to a nephrologist, you may be feeling a sense of fear and anxiety. We understand that declining kidney health can be confusing or overwhelming. Our physicians are kind and knowledgeable—here to guide you step-by-step with a compassionate and trusting approach. You can count on receiving cutting edge treatment that is customized to your specific kidney care needs when you choose Balboa Nephrology Medical Group as your nephrology provider.
For information on what you can expect for your first appointment, please visit: balboacare.com/new-patients/
Where is Balboa Nephrology located?
Balboa Nephrology has 18 clinic locations. Information is available on balboaCare.com/locations. Clinic location information is also available by visiting balboaCare.com/providers.
Is dialysis performed at Balboa Nephrology clinics?
Dialysis treatment is not available at Balboa Nephrology clinics.
Do Balboa Nephrology Providers perform surgeries?
Balboa Nephrology Nephrologists do not perform surgeries.
Information to know for your visit:
It’s important to have your bloodwork done prior to your appointment. Lab and test results will be discussed during your visit.
- It is important to have your lab order done 1-2 weeks prior to your appointment.
- If you have labs for a primary care physician or any other provider, use BOTH orders to ensure each different specialty gets what they need to treat you
- Having your labs done 1-2 weeks before your clinic visit is important because it gives your doctor time to receive the results and review to plan your care.
Please arrive 15-30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. Arriving early will allow time to:
- Verify and scan insurance cards.
- Verify and review signatures.
- Review all your medications – even if there are no changes.
Knowing your current list of medications is very helpful.
- Your Balboa Nephrology Care Team puts patients first and will be respectful of and responsive to your individual preferences, needs, and values.
Bring your medication list or bottles to every appointment even when there are no changes.
- The most important care given is medication management.
- Always inform your Balboa Nephrology care team if a different physician adds, delete or changes your medications.
Insurance Providers
To find a provider that accepts your insurance, click on the Insurance Providers menu below.![]() |
Luis Bedoya, M.D.Location: Chula Vista Dr. Bedoya joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2008. He practices in the Chula Vista area; specializing in kidney diseases which includes hemodialysis patients at FMC South Bay for home dialysis including both peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis as well as Fresenius Medical Care for in-center hemodialysis. Dr. Bedoya attended medical school at the Peruvian University of Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree. After completing his residency at Clinica Anglo-Americana (British-American Hospital) in Lima, Peru, he went on to complete both his residency and Nephrology fellowship training at Jackson Memorial Hospital and University of Miami Affiliated Hospitals. Upon fully finishing his training he did four additional years of clinical research in Hypertension at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Department of Nephrology and Hypertension in Cleveland, Ohio. This latter experience of exposure to science and time of reflection help to shape him as a physician and as a nephrologist the way he is now. He enjoys interacting with his patients and helping them and their families to go through the high burden of disease, which means to have chronic and acute kidney disease. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He enjoys reading about medicine and all aspects of human life. He also enjoys traveling and interacting with people from different cultures, both locally and abroad. He is also fluent in Spanish. Luis Bedoya, M.D.Chula VistaDr. Bedoya joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2008. He... |
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Terry Behrend, M.D.Location: Vascular Access Center Dr. Behrend joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2001. He practices in the College area; specializing in kidney diseases which includes hemodialysis patients at both FMC and DaVita Dialysis units. Dr. Behrend attended medical school at the University of Michigan where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree. He went on to complete both his residency and Nephrology fellowship training at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis Missouri. Outside of work, Dr. Behrend enjoys anything technology related, snowboarding and college football. Terry Behrend, M.D.Vascular Access CenterDr. Behrend joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2001. He... |
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Ramin Berenji, M.D.Location: El Centro Dr. Berenji joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2006. He practices in the El Centro and Brawley area; specializing in kidney diseases which includes hemodialysis patients at Fresenius Medical Care. Dr. Berenji attended medical school at the University Of Hamburg School Of Medicine, in West Germany where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree. After he completed his residency at Good Samaritan Hospital/John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, he completed his Nephrology fellowship training at Stanford University. Dr. Berenji holds the following Memberships: American Medical Association, California Medical Association, Imperial County Medical Society, American Society of Nephrology and American College of Physicians. He has been awarded the Fellow of American College of Physicians and the Fellow of American Society of Nephrology. Dr. Berenji is Vice President of Balboa Nephrology Medical Group, Executive Vice President and Principal Investigator at Balboa Research. He is also a Clinical Instructor at Imperial Valley College and speaks German and Farsi. He enjoys jazz, playing tennis, travel and photography. Ramin Berenji, M.D.Vice President | El CentroDr. Berenji joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2006. He... |
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Mark Boiskin, M.D.Location: Encinitas Location: La Jolla Location: Poway Dr. Boiskin joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 1999. He practices in the La Jolla, Poway and Encinitas area; specializing in kidney diseases which includes hemodialysis patients at both FMC and DaVita Dialysis units. He is also actively involved in research with Balboa Research. Dr. Boiskin attended medical school at the University of Stellenbosch Medical School in South Africa where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree. After completing his residency at the University of Alberta in Canada, he completed his fellowship training at the University of California San Diego. Spending time with his wife, daughter and son are the most important things to him. He enjoys helping his wife with her animal sanctuary, scuba diving with his daughter and exercising with his son. He is also involved with nature conservation and when he has time, he enjoys reading a good book. Mark Boiskin, M.D.Encinitas | La Jolla | PowayDr. Boiskin joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 1999. He... |
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Melanie Braytenbah, N.P.Location: Chula Vista – Sharp Hospital Melanie Braytenbah joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2018. She provides dialysis coverage at both FMC and DaVita Dialysis units throughout San Diego County. Melanie received her Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Middle Tennessee State University. In her free time, Melanie enjoys hiking, traveling, sightseeing, and outdoor activities with her dogs and loved ones. Melanie Braytenbah, N.P.Chula Vista - Sharp HospitalMelanie Akins joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2018. She... |
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Juan Calderon Molina, M.D.Location: National City Dr. Calderon Molina joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2016. He practices in the National City area; specializing in the management of chronic kidney disease with an emphasis on diabetic kidney disease and glomerular diseases. Dr. Calderon Molina’s practice includes the management of hemodialysis patients at both FMC and DaVita Dialysis units. Dr. Calderon Molina attended medical school at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana School of Medicine in Bogotá, Colombia, where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree. Dr. Calderon Molina completed both his Internal Medicine Residency and Nephrology Fellowship training at the Yale New Haven Hospital/Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Calderon Molina is also a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN). Dr. Calderon Molina is interested in quality outcomes and patient experience satisfaction. Dr. Calderon Molina enjoys sports like tennis and soccer in his spare time and he is learning to play piano. Juan Calderon Molina, M.D.National CityDr. Calderon Molina joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2016.... |
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Angelica Camargo-Lowthers, N.P.Location: Hillcrest Angelica Camargo-Lowthers joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2009. She provides dialysis coverage at both FMC and DaVita Dialysis units throughout San Diego County. Angelica received her Master of Science in Nursing at San Diego State University and went on to receive her Family Nurse Practitioner certificate at the University of California San Diego. Angelica Camargo-Lowthers, N.P.San Diego - MetroAngelica Camargo-Lowthers joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2009. She... |
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Alan Cantillep, M.D.Location: Fountain Valley Location: Orange Dr. Cantillep joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2018. He practices in the Fountain Valley area; specializing in kidney diseases which includes hemodialysis patients at both Fresenius and DaVita Dialysis units. Dr. Cantillep was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Irvine. He attended medical school at Michigan State University, where he was a member of the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable program. He returned to sunny Southern California for residency at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. He then completed a year as a Chief Resident followed by a year as an attending hospitalist. He went on to Nephrology fellowship training at the University of Southern California. During his time as a fellow he performed research in bedside ultrasound and received an award for his quality improvement work. Outside of medicine, Dr. Cantillep can often be found working on his cooking technique, exercising, or enjoying life with his wife and young daughter. Alan Cantillep, M.D.Fountain Valley | OrangeDr. Cantillep joined Balboa Nephrology Medical Group in 2018. He... |
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Tepsiri Chongkrairatanakul, M.D.Location: Balboa Institute of Transplantation Location: San Diego – Metro Dr. Tepsiri Chongkrairatanakul or “ Dr. Chong” joined Balboa Nephrology in 2018. He practices at Sharp Memorial Hospital and covers the Sharp Metro area. He specializes in a variety of kidney diseases, glomerular diseases, kidney stone prevention, dialysis, and hypertension. He has a special interest in kidney and pancreas transplants and is part of the transplant team at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Dr. Chong obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. He completed his internal medicine residency and chief residency at Bassett Medical Center in New York. He completed his Nephrology Fellowship at Boston University followed by a Transplant Nephrology fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He very much enjoyed teaching and was an Assistant Professor as well as Associate Program Director of Nephrology Fellowship training at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In free time, he enjoys cooking Thai food, jogging and reading with his 3-year-old twin daughters. Tepsiri Chongkrairatanakul, M.D.San Diego - MetroDr. Tepsiri Chongkrairatanakul or “ Dr. Chong” joined Balboa Nephrology... |
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Abraham Daneshvar, P.A.Location: Escondido Abraham Daneshvar joined Balboa Nephrology Medical group in 2016. He graduated from medical school in Iran in 1998 and practiced there as a family physician for 7 years until coming to the United States in 1995. Abraham received his Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from University of Detroit Mercy in 2002 and since then, has been practicing as a Nephrology Physician’s Assistant. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and son, hiking, swimming, biking and reading. Abraham Daneshvar, P.A.EscondidoAbraham Daneshvar joined Balboa Nephrology Medical group in 2016. He... |